HEALTH CARE // President Trump has switched to playing hard ball. Stung by the Senate’s inability to pass health care legislation, Trump threatened to cut off payouts to insurance companies that subsidize expenses for low-income policy holders. Trump also threatened to eliminate Congress’ exemption from onerous Obamacare regulations. http://cvote.it/2tQ5tNq
HEALTH CARE // Senate Republicans are giving close consideration to a plan floated by Sen. Lindsey Graham, which would block grant federal health care funding to the states. But with John McCain seeking treatment today in Arizona, it seems unlikely any health care bill vote will be scheduled until September. http://cvote.it/2tPibMH
RIP, CHARLIE GARD // The parents of terminally ill British infant Charlie Gard announced: “Our beautiful little boy has gone, we are so proud of you Charlie.” Despite raising £1.35 million for treatment, the British government refused to let them take Charlie to the United States. Then the government refused to let the parents take him home to die. Charlie was baptized days before his death. http://cvote.it/2tPz8qd
WHITE HOUSE SHAKEUP // Did Reince Preibus resign or was he fired? Either way, Trump announced General John Kelly would leave his post as Secretary of Homeland Security to replace Preibus as Trump’s Chief of Staff. The departure of Priebus severs the most prominent link the White House had to the party establishment. http://cvote.it/2tPXyQo
BLUE COLLAR VOTERS // President Trump’s poll numbers might not be so hot these days. But in the swing blue-collar areas that sent him to the White House, he retains a 10-point edge over Democrats. When non college-educated whites are asked who they prefer on the economy, Trump jumps to a 35-point advantage. http://cvote.it/2tPg2AD
CATHOLIC // Emma Bonino, a former Italian abortionist spoke at a Catholic parish. Pro-life Catholics tried to speak up, but were locked out, silenced, and ejected. http://cvote.it/2tPDehT
CATHOLIC // In a cornfield in Pennsylvania, an aging group of nuns builds a ‘chapel’ in an effort to stop a pipeline. Timothy Williams responds: “When you hear that a chapel has been constructed as part of a social protest, it is a pretty safe bet that there is nothing Christian about it.” http://cvote.it/2tPtq7C
CATHOLIC // Tragic: 160,000 German Catholics left the Church last year. In 2015, they had lost 180,000. Saint Boniface, pray for Germany! http://cvote.it/2tPs5h6
SAINT // Saint Ignatius Loyola – http://cvote.it/dailysaint
DAILY MASS // “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.” (Ps 106:1) – http://cvote.it/Daily-Readings
TRUTH // (Courtesy of Dank Pro-Life Memes.)